Well-drill.



J. M. CURRELL.V WELL DRILL.

APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 28, 1912.

ein.

WELL-naam. l

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jane-ia, reis.

Application led August 28, 1912. Serial No. 717,604.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that JAMES M. CURRELL,

va citizen of the United States, residing at Faso Robles, in the county of San Luis Obispo and State ot California, have invented new and useful improvements in -Well-Drills, of which the following is a specification.

rl`his invention provides a novel drill for boring irtesian and oil wells, such drill being automatic in operation and actuated by means of hydraulic pressure after the principle ot the hydraulic ram.

The invention supplies a drill of the character stated which will bore an opening of such a size as to admit of the. casing following the drill, thereby overcoming the necessity of enlarging or rannning the bore in order to receive the casing.

The invention consists of the novel fea-4 tures, details of construction and combina tion of parts, which hereinafter will be more particularly set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing, forming a lpart of the specification, Figure 1 is a vertical central section of a well drill embodying the invention, showing the relation of the parts when the movable part carrying the bits is elevated. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig.

1, showing the relation of. the parts whenv the bit-carrying member is-lowered. Fig. 3 a detail view, showing the bits moved downward and inward so as to pass through the casing when it is required to lower the drilll into position. Fig. l is a horizont-al section on the line .'vof Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line y--y of Fig. 1.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description, and indicated in all the views of the drawing, by the same reference characters. Y

The body of the drill comprises two sec tions 2 and 12, which are connected by means of a screwthread joint 4, both sections being hollow so as to receive the working parts.

The upper section 2 has an inner shoulder 21 near its upper Aend against which abuts an expansible helical spring 1, the lower end of such spring engaging an outer shoulder a'of a tubular member 3, slidably mounted within the body and normally held pressed downward b v means of the spring 1, which is located within the section 2. The upper v end of the section 12 forms a stop to engage the annular enlargement of the tubular member 3 to limit the relative downward movement of such member. Upenings 6 are formed in the sides of the section 12 near the joint e between the two sections 2 and 12. Other openings 7 are formed in the sides of the tubular member 3 near its lower end. vWhen the body of the drill' is moved downward, as indicated in Fig. 2, the openings 6 and 7 are caused to register, thereby providing an escape for the water. @ther openingsV 13 are formed in the sides of the section 12 some distance below the openings' 6. -These openings 13 provide for an outrush vof the water to enable the same' to attain a proper momentum when the ,out-A flow is'suddenly cut oli by means of a valve 10, the reaction forcing thebody of the valve downward and `bringing the cutting bit in forcible contact with the Work. Above the openings 13 is formed a valve seat 11, which is renewable and receives the valve 10, which has a limited movement within the 'section 12, being held unseated by means of 'a spring 8, which 1s of the helical contractile type, the upper end of the spring being attached to a pin 9 supported in openings in the sides of the section 12.

The bits 20, two in number, are of similar formation and are mounted so as to have both a longitudinal and a lateral movement imparted thereto, whereby provision is had for moving the bits inward at their cutting ends to admit of passing the drill through the casing when introducing the drill into the well or bore. The bits 20 are mounted uponv the ends of a cross bar 16, which has a limited movement in the'lower portion of the body, the latter being reduced, as indicated at l), and said reduced portion having longitudinal slots@ in which the cross bar 16 has a limited vertical play. The shoulders formed at the base of the reduced part b are inclined, as indicated at e, and the upper ends of the bits are correspondingly inclined so as to engage under the inclined or under cut shoulders e and thereby hold the bits in proper position when the drill is in operation. The openings f formed in the upper ends of the bits 20 are elongated vertically to admit of the lower or cutting ends of the bits having a lateral movement whereby said bits may be contracted, as indicated in Fig. 3, or expanded, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. The lower ends of the bits are widened,

as indicated atg, to engage under the reduced portion c of the body. The shanks ot the bits are laced against t-he sides of the reduced portion c and their' inner upper portions are cutaway at a slight inclination, as

indicated at L., terminating in shoulders z',

which latter are located some distance above the lower end of the reduced part c when the bits are in working position, as indicated in Figs. l and 2. When it is required to contract the bits to enable `the drill to pass through the casing the bits are moved downward until the shoulders e' cle'ar the lower end of the reduced part c, when said bits may be pressed inward, as indicated in Fig. 3, thereby enabling the drill to be inserted within a casing and passed therethrough. A' rod 15 or like part is mounted in the lower portion of the body and its lower end has an opening to receive the cross bar 16. A spring 25 is mounted upon the rod l5l and is conned between a nut at the upper end of the rod and an inner shoulder 2G near the lower end of the body. 'lihe springr 25 is of the env pansible helical type and normally exerts a pressure upwardly upon the rod l5 to hold the bits 2O in working position, as indicated in Figs. l and 2. rli`he bits have shoulders- 27 near the upper ends of their shanks to engage the lower end of the casing to force the bits downward preliminary to withdraw.- ing the drill froml the well throughthe casing.

lllhe tubular member 3 Vhas a portion 28 which extends through the upper end ot the hollow body and to which the tubing is coupled for supplying water under pressure to the drill. rlFhe extension 2S has a feather and spline connection with the hollow body to enable both to turn in the operation of the drill to bring the cutting. edges of the 'bits in new positions, as the work progresses. When it is required to pass the drill through the casing' the bits are moved downward and after the shoulders z' have cleared the lower end of the reduced part c of the body the bits are pressed inward, as indicated in Fig. 3, thereby enabling the drill to be inserted into and passed through the casing. After the bits have cleared the lower end of the casing a slight jar suffices to disengage the shoulders z' from the lower end of the part c when the bits are drawn upward into working. position by means of the spring' 25. Water under pressure is supplied to the tubing' or line of pipe connecting the tubular member 8 with the source of water supply. rlhe valve l0 is held unseated by the spring 8 until the water has acquired a sufficient momentum when the valve lO will close by the combined weight and momentum ot the water, thereby producing a reaction similar to the hydraulic ram, which exerting' a force upon the hollow body carries the same downward and brings the bits in forcible contact 'come into play to return the hollow body to normal posit-ion, thereby throwing the openings G and 7 out of register. The water under pressure will continue to flow downwardly through the tubular member' and outwardly through the openings 13 until it has acquired a momentum sufficient to seat the valve l0, when the resultant reaction will again force the body downwardly and cause the bits to deliver an effective blow. rllhis operation will be repeated and is auto matic. The water escaping;v from the drill after performing work is utilized to carry oli the cuttings, sand and the like resultingV from boring the well, thereby preventing.,r

I binding of the drill and casing so that both may be pronerlv advanced to the work.

Then it is required to remove the drill from the Well it is necessary only to draw upwardly .upon the line of pipe or tubing connected with the member 3, thereby bringing' the shoulders 277 ot the bits in contact with the lower end of the casing, when the bits will be moved downwardly and at the same time pressed inwardly to cause the shoulders z' to engage under the lower end of the reduced part c, thereby permitting withdrawal of the drill through the Casing in the manner stated.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while l have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the device which l now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, l desire to have it understood that the 'device shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desire-d as are within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is:

l. l'n a hydraulic drill the combination of a member having an opening therethrough and a lateral discharge, a body slidably mounted upon the said member and having upper and lower outlets, said body adapted to receive a tool, means for yieldingly pressing the said body upwardly upon the said member to throw the upper outlet out of register with the lateral discharge of the said member, and a valve carried b the said body and arranged between the ower outlet thereof and the lower end of the said e between t-he member and body to hold the latter relatively elevated, and a valve arranged within the hollow body below the Ybefore mentioned member and above the lower outlet of the body and normally held unseated and adapted to close when vthe momentum of the water passing through the said member has acquired a pressure sufcient to seat the valve to press the body downwardly.

3. In a hydraulic tool ofthe character set forth, the combination of a tubular member having an outer shoulder and formed with a lateral opening, a. hollow body slidably mounted upon the tubular member and havingr upper and lower lateral outlets and an vintermediate valve seat, an expansible helical s ringlocated within the' body and oon-w ine betweenv an inner shoulder t iereof and the shoulder of the tubular member to normally hold the body relatively elevated, a valve arranged within the body to close downwardly upon the said valve seat, and' a spring for normally holding said valve unseated.

4. In a hydraulic tool of the character set forth, the combination of a tubular member having an outer shoulder and a lateral opening, a hollow body comprising two sections connected by a screwthread joint slidably mounted upon said tubular member, an exp'ansible helical spring arranged Vwithin the upper section of the hollow body and confined between the shoulder of the tubular member, and an inner shoulder of the body, f

the lower section of the latter having upper. l

and lower lateral openings and an lntermediate valve seat, a valve for closing downwardly upon said Valve seat, and a spring 

